Rolling machine



27, 1932. J, SNEED 1,879,568

ROLLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1929 4 Sheets-*Shea*l l Sept 27, 1932- J. SNEED 1,879,568

' ROLLING MACHINE Filved Oct. 14, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 27', 1932. J. sNEED ROLLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 l l l Sept. 27, 1932. J, SNEED 1,879,568

ROLLING MACHINE Filed 00T.. 14, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented, Sept. 27, 1932v UNITED STATES JOHN SNEED, OF ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN ROLLING MACHINE Application led October 14, 1929. Serial. No. 399,653.

This invention relates to machines for and methods of rolling bars to arcuate form, and more particularly to machines for rolling T- shaped or other ribbed bars to such form.

An object of the invention is to provide a rolling machine having a pair of coaxial driven rolls'upon which abar may be bent to a substantially annular form by a plurality of relatively smaller rolls and stress blocks or the like, spaced peripherally from the coaxial rolls, and to adapt the latter rolls and blocks to be spread apart after each rolling operation, to permit ready removal of the work from the machine.

Another object is to provide a rolling ma# chine incorporating a pair of rolls around which a bar of T-shaped cross section may be rolled to substantially annular form, portions cf which rolls are so formed and operated as to grip the rib ofsaid bar between them during the rolling operation. Y y

A further object is to associate with a large roll or mandrel, around which a bar yis adapted to be rolled to annular form, a plurality of smaller rolls for delecting said bar into conformance with the periphery of the large roll, and to mount the small rolls on a carrier, adapting them for removal and replacement as a unit, whereby different sets of such small rolls may be used in the machine according to the dimensions of the work. Y

Still another object is to provide a plurality of small rolls for deflecting a metal bar to annular form, and to. associate with said rolls one or 'more metal blocksfor guiding such bar into initial engagement. with the rolls and for taking the heavier stresses arising through defiection of said bar.

A still further object is to provide a barrolling machine with a pair of coaxialrolls upon which a metal annulus may be formed, to urge said rolls toward each other under spring pressure, and to provide for anapplication of power to said rolls for quickly spreading the same apart to permit removal of the work.

A vfurther object is the provision of a novel method of forming an annulus from a T- shaped or otherwise ribbed bar, consisting of applying a torque to the rib of said bar and l parent from upon the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

lsimultaneously deflecting the bar toward the axis about which the torque is applied.

Other objects and advantages will be ap'- the following description, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment Vof my invention and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure lisa view in front elevation of a rolling machine embracing the present improvements Y Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same. I v v Figure 3 isa rear view of said machine.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken upon the line4-4 of Figure 2. Y

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken Figure 6 is a vertical sectional elevation,

taken uponthe line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

f igure V2' is a detail end elevational View of one of the main rolls sectionally showing coacting auxiliary small rolls and blocks and a carrier for salne. Y Figure 8 is a plan view of said rolls showlng the carrier section as indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 7. Y p ,Y Figure 9 is a perspective view of a brake shoe, as rolled .to annular form by the machine.

In these views, the reference character l designates a cylindrical, open-endedl roll housing supported at a convenient elevation upon a frame Q'and bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to theV latter, as indicated at 3. Midway between its ends, said housing has a circumferential slot 4 extending from its lower front portion to its top rear portion, as best appears in Figures l and 5, which provides, as hereinafter more clearly appears, for feeding work to and removing it from the machine.

Co-axially slidable in the housing .l is a pair of bearing rings 5, one at each side of the slot 4, journaling a pair of aligned hollow shafts 6, suitable anti-friction rollers or the like 7 being preferably interposed between said shafts and bearing rings. Upon the inner ends of said shafts is mounted fast a ice pair of disk-shaped main rolls 8 normally lying in juxtaposition, as shown in full lines in Figure 6, but adapted, in unison with the bearing rings 5, to be shifted apart, as api, jpears in dotted lines in said figure. Preferably the peripheral faces of said rolls are formed throughout their circumferential eX- tent with numerous shallow7 transverse channels 81, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. While the mounting of the rolls on the shafts 6 maybe variously accomplished, it is preferred to form each roll with an integral central boss or hub 9, snugly fitting into the corresponding shaft, and to clamp each roll on its shaft by -a bolt 10 eX- tending axially through the roll and shaft and headed at its inner endagainst the roll, as indicated at 11. The outer ends of said bolts are engaged by one or more nuts 12 by go which a clamping stress may be applied to the corresponding roll and shaft.

The shafts 6 at their outer ends project eXteriorly of the bearing rings to rigidly mount a pair of large gears 13, driven from a pair of pinionsld fast on a shaft 15 journaled in bearings 15 integrated with the rear lower portion of the housing 1. One end of said shaft rigidly mounts a large sprocket wheel 16, Vdriventhrough a chain 17 from a A bar 24 of T cross-section, and preferably initially straight, is adapted to be fed through the slot 4 beneath the rolls 8, as best appears in Figures 5 and 7, said rolls being driven in the direction indicated by the arrows in said figures to advance said bar between tlie main rolls and the coa'cting rolls 22. Preferably a metal guide or stress block is mounted fast upon the 4entrance end of the carrier 21, as best appears in'Figures 5 and 7, said block having a faceV approximately tangential to the rolls 8 for guiding the work. A slight initial curvature is imparted to the work by Sone or more of the rolls 22 mounted rearwardly of said guide block, and itA is preferred to rigidly secure within said carrier, rearwardly of said initial roll or rolls, a second stress or deflector block 26, having an arcuate inner face spaced from the rolls 8 correspondingly to the rolls 22. The block 26 is positioned to encounter the maximum stress arising in the rolling operation, and the outer face of said deflector block is seated throughout its area on the carrier 21 to amply relatively small sprocket 18 fast upon 'the` meet such stress. Said deflector block may be mounted on the carrier by one or more rods 23 similarly to the rolls 22.

Various means may be employed for re movably securing the carrier 21 in the groove 20, but it is preferred that it be resiliently held against limiting members regulating the normal spacing of the carrier from the roller 8. As illustrated, a pair of limiting bolts 27 radially secure the ends of said carrier to the liousing1, and one thereof may be further utilized to secure the initial guide block 25 to said carrier (see Figure 5). The bolts pre; vent the carrier from approaching too near the roller 8. To adapt the carrier for automatic movement in the housing 1 relatively to the rolls 8 to thereby adapt the machine to readily handle different thicknesses of work, there is lradially mounted in said housing a pair of thrust screws 28 having their inner ends engaging a pair of curved resilient thrust-plates 29, having preferably the nature ofheavy bowvsprings, seating upon suitable portions of the carrier within recesses 32 in its outer face and pressing the entire carrier toward the rolls 8 as far as permitted by the bolts 27. By loosening the bolts 27 and moving the screws 28 inwardly, the carrier may be adjusted toward the rolls, and a reverse adjustment of the carrier may be accomplished by moving the screws 28 outwardly and then tightening the nuts on the bolts 27. ln setting the carrier in any position of use, the springfthrust-plates 29 are placed'under heavy compression, said plates being free however to undergo a slight increase of such compres'siomvwhen necessitated by any abnormally thick portion of the work.

Describing now a provision for adjusting the rolls 8 and bearing rings 5 to and from each other, 33 designates a pair of rectangular-recesses, correspondingly formed in the rear faces of the rings. In each of said recesses is mounted loosely a rectangular metal block 34C which being smaller than is slidable both vertically and horizontally in the recess 33, and through these the rings are adapted to be moved to or from each other. Multi-leaf springs v35 are assembled under compression on T-shaped mountings 36 in said recesses, and are adapted to transmit the thrust of said blocks to the rings 5, urging the same toward each other. VSaid springs permit a slight yielding of the rolls 8 from each other, in use, toallow passage between said rolls of any abnormally thick portion of the work. Into the recesses or journals 33 in the blocks for actuation thereof, project offset crank pins 37 on the forward ends of parallel rock shafts 38. Adjacent to said pins, said shafts are journaled in the housing 1, from'wliich they extend rearwardly, their rear portions being reducedto rigidly mount a pair of sector gears 39, and to further journal said shafts in vertically elongated brackets 40 the main rolls.

bolted at their lower ends to the' base of the housing l rIhe brackets have their upper portions forwardly bent and bolted to said housing', as best appears in Figure 5. The segmental gears project toward each other to mesh with vertical racks 4l formed on opposite edges of a head 42 surmounting a pis ton rod 43 to which it is secured. The piston rod Vpasses downwardly through the base of the housing l and engages a suitable piston 44 reciprocatory within a cylinder 45, to which compressed air, steam or other motie vating fluid may be admitted through a pipe 46 controlled by a conveniently located valve 47, and later exhausted from the cylinder Vin the usual manner of fluid operated piston devices.

In the operation of the described machine, the bars 24, of T cross-section, having been preliminary cut to suitable lengths, are individually fed to the machine as indicated in Fig. 5, their webs being inserted between said rolls. Owing to the fact that said webs are slightly tapered, they may be readily tangentially enter between the rolls, and will be firmly gripped by the latter as soon as inserted to a point where the web thickness exceeds the normal spacing of the rolls. It is thus primarily the axial pressure of the rolls on the webs of the bars that feeds the latter through the machine. The guide block 25 establishes a proper initial tangential relation between the bar and main rolls, and the two rolls 22 adjacent said guide block impart a slight initial Vcurvature to the bar before it encounters the deector block 26. The latter subjects the bar to a quite considerable curvature, the remaining rolls 22 being only lightly stressed, since upon reaching the samethe bar will be already substantially conformed to There is no necessity for providing any rolls such as 22, or other deflecting means adjacent the upper and forward portions of the main rolls, since the lirstenj tering forward end of the work, when once conformed to the periphery of the rolls 8, continues in such relation. When the rolling of a bar 24 has been completed, said bar takes the form of a .split annulus, (see Figure 9) j its ends being more or less spaced, according` to the purpose for which it is designed. i Said bar should initially be somewhat shorter than is desired for its finished length, inasmuch as it will be somewhat elongated by the rolling i process. Also, the web of said bar will be thickness of said web.

transformed by the rolling operation from an initial tapering shape to a final substantially uniform thickness which may be equal to or slightly greater than the initial minimum Preliminarily to the rolling operation, the valve 47 is opened, admitting fluid under pressure to the top portion of the cylinder 45 and lowering the piston 44, rod 43and head' 42, whereby the shafts 38 are rocked .tov establish the crank pins 37 in their` relatively adj a-` cent positions shown in full lines in Figure 6. In said positions, the blocks 34 act through the leaf springs 35 upon the rings 5 to move same and the rolls 8 toward each other and establish any abutting relation between the bolt heads ll'. As the work advances between the rolls, the springs allow a slight relative yieldingof the rolls and bearing rings 5, to compensate for slight inequalities of thickness in the ribs of the bars. When a rollingl operation has been completed, the valve 47 is manipulated 'to admit fluid below the piston 44, whereby the shafts 38 are rocked in the opposite direction to so actuate the rolls 8 and rings 5 Vas to move the rolls awa from each other, as appears in dash lines in igure 6, thereby permitting forward removal of the work between the rolls 8.

It is a highly desirable feature of the described machine that it permits formation of brake shoes or the like from T section bars at a very rapid rate, bein easilycapable of turning out five hundred shoes per hour. Punch press methods heretofore commonly employed are capable of producing not more than one hundred shoes per hour, and furthermore the initial cost of such a punch press is many times greater than that of the described machine.

The described machine further effects a decided improvement upon present methods in that it is easily adjustable to produce brake shoes or the like of different diametersand ofdifferent thicknesses of metal.

While it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated to adequately fulfill the objects and advantages primarily stated, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

aving described my invention, what I 1. A` rolling machine for material of irregular cross sectional contour, comprisinga pair of substantially coaxial main rolls, means for driving said rolls, means peripherally spaced from said rolls for so deflecting a bar of such material as to cause the same; to substantially peripherally conform to the positioning of said rolls, and means for simultaneously and forcibly engaging a portion of the bar between the coaxial rolls.

2. A rolling machine for material of `irregular cross sectional contour, comprising a pair of substantially coaXialrolls normally forcibly urged together, a plurality of auXiliary rolls normally peripherally spaced from said main rolls for deilecting a bar of such contour to force a portion thereof to conform peripherally to the main rolls and means for simultaneously'exerting a cooperating forming pressure upon a portion of said bar by engagement of the same between the coaxial rolls. i

3. A rolling machine comprising a pair of normally adjacent substantially coaXial'main rolls, shafts carrying said rolls, bearings journaling said shafts, means coacting with said rolls for deiiecting work to periplierally conform a portion thereof to said rolls, means normally yieldably urging said coaxial rolls toward each other to forcibly engage a. portion of such work, and means engaging said bearings for shifting said rolls from each other to permit removal of completed work.

4. In a'rolling machine for material of irregular cross sectional contour, a pair of substantially coaxial normally adjacent main rolls, means for driving said rolls, means for fasliioning a portion of the work to a sub` vstantial anniilus upon said rolls, and means normally yieldably urging said rolls toward cach other to foicibly and formingly engage another portion of suoli work.

5.. A rolling machine comprising' a main roll, means for deflecting a bar to substantial peripheral conformity with said roll, a bearing member journaling said shaft formed with a' recess therein, members within said recess for normally urging the roll in one dii rection and for axially shifting it in the other direction, a rock shaft for actuating said member, and drive means for said shaft.

6.V A rolling machine comprising a cylin- 1 drical housing, a pair of bearings slidable in said housing to and from each other, a

pair of shafts substantially axially journaled in said bearings, a'pair of main rolls mounted on the adjacent ends of said shafts, said heus-- ing having an opening for insertion and removal ofthe Work, means within said housing peripherally coacting with said rolls for deflecting the work around said rolls, and means for sliding said bearings from each other to space said rolls apart and permit removal of the work.

7. A rolling machine comprising a housing, a pair of substantially coaxial bearings within said housing slidable to and from each other, shafts journaled in said bearings to V' u 6 for moving said rolls from each other at will,

slide therewith, a pair of normally adj acont main rolls mounted upon the inner ends of said shafts, said housing being formed with an opening registering with said rolls in their v, normal positions, means for driving said rolls, spring carried by said bearings. mem

bers carried by said bearings for subjecting said rolls through said springs to al thrust toward. each other, and a common means acting upon said thrust members to actuate the bearings to or from each other.

8. A rolling machine comprising a pair of substantially coaxial main rolls, means for driving said rolls, means normally urging said rolls yieldably toward each other, means means carried by said rolls for definitely spacing their peripheries, and means peripherally spaced from said rolls for deflecting work around said rolls, while a portion thereof is formingly engaged between the abutting ends of the coaxial rolls.

9. A rolling machine comprising a pair of substantially coaxial main rolls, means for driving said rolls rotatively, means for sliding said rolls to and from each other, including elements yieldable to afford the rolls a limited movement apart, and means peripherally spaced from said rolls for bending Work around said rolls.

10. In a rolling machine, a main roll, a carrier member peripherally spaced from the main roll,y means for rotatively driving said roll, deflecting means mounted on said carrier for guiding work around the main roll, and means for establishing relatively firm engagement between a portion of the work and the main roll.l Y

11. A rolling machine comprising a substantially cylindrical housing having a circumferentially elongated slot for insertion and removal of work, a main roll journaled in said housing substantially opposite said slot, means for rotatively driving said roll, means within said housing coacting with said roll'to bend work around said roll, and means for axially shifting said roll out of registration with said slot to provide for removal of the completed work through said slot.

12. A rolling machine comprising a housing formed with a circumferential slot and circiiinferentially channeled interiorly between the ends of said slot, a main roll j ournaled within said housing in normal registration with saidv slot and channel, means for rotatively driving said roll, a carrier member mounted in said channel, means releasably securing said carrier in the channel, a plurality of elements mounted upon said carrier for deflectin work around said main roll` and means for axially shifting the main roll to permit removal of completed work and to further permit removal and replacement of said carrier through said slot. Y

13. A rolling machine comprising a main roll` a housing receiving said roll and formed with a circumferential slot normally peripherally opposite to said roll, a carrier member mounted within said housing substantially circumferentially continuous with said slot. a plurality of elements upon said carrier for deflecting work around said roll, means for rotativelv driving said roll, and means for axially shifting said roll out of registration with said carrier and slot. Y

14. A rolling machine comprising a main roll, a housing receiving said roll and formed with an opening to which said roll is normally peripherally opposed, means within said housing opposite to said opening coactroll, and means for shifting the roll axially to provide for removal of said means through said opening.

15. A rolling machine comprising a lionsn ing, a main roll journaled in said housing, a carrier partially extending around the roll Within the housing, means for adjusting said carrier to and from the roll, and means upon said carrier for deilecting Work around the roll, including a delector block positioned adjacent but spaced from the ingress of thevv Work, for bearing! the or stresses incident to such deflection, and relatively lighter deilecting rolls for additionally assisting the bending operation.

16. A rolling machine comprising a hous ing, a pair of main rolls journaled in said housing, and a carrier circumferentially spaced from the main rolls and resiliently supported in such spaced position.

17. A lrolling machine comprising a hous ing, a pair'ofvmain rolls journaled in said housing, a carrier circumferentially spaced from the main rolls and housing, and resilient supporting means adj ustably mounted between the carrier and housing.

18. A rolling machine comprising a housing, a pair of main rolls journaled in said housing, a carrier circumferentially spaced from the main rolls and housing, means for limiting movement of the carrier toward said rolls, and means for normally yieldably pressing the carrier toward said rolls as far as permitted by the said limitingmeans.

19. A rolling machine comprising a housing, a pair of main rolls journaled in said housing, a carrier circumferentially spaced from the main rolls and housing, means for limiting movement of the carrier toward said rolls, and resilient means adjustably mounted on the housing for normally pressing the carrier toward said rolls as far as permitted by said limiting means.

20. A rolling machine comprising a housing having an opening therein, a carrier circuniferentially elongated Within the housing opposite to said opening, a mainroll journaled in said housing and normally positioiied between said opening and carrier,

'means for axially adjusting said roll out of registration with said opening and carrier, means upon the carrier for deflecting Work around the roll, and means forradially adjusting the carrier in the housing.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

JOHN SNEED. 

